1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication monitoring devices and methods, and more particularly to a postal mailbox monitoring system and method.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
The United States Postal Service (USPS) regulations specify the properties of a United States mailbox including any information regarding add on features. As such, any novel invention to be used in a United States mailbox must be approved by the USPS. Currently, the state of the art lacks an electronic mailbox monitoring system which is approved by the USPS to be used in a mailbox.
As the danger of receiving a dangerous letter in the mail is an issue more and more addressed today, there is a continuing growing need for a device for a mailbox which would provide anti-terrorist functionality as well as a monitoring function. In keeping with recent USPS (United States Postal Service) regulations as outlined in the New Standard USPS-STD-7B that was recently published into Law in February 2001 in the US Federal Register, the present invention is designed to be attached to existing or new USPS approved privately owned, rented/leased mailboxes; including attached to publicly owned mailboxes (if desired by the USPS).
In certain countries the size and placement of the wireless transmitter functionality can be adjusted so as to conform with the different regulations of each countries government from around the world. The present invention may also use a HF Radio signaling to send uniquely coded information about the mailbox, the use of a pulsed infrared beam of light to determined the opening and closing of the carrier service door; the use of a video camera and encoder to “capture” image(s) or streams of video of the inside of the mailbox, and similarly a means by which streams of audio can be captured from the mailbox.
The presently claimed invention has many advantages over the prior art. This invention provides for the monitoring and identification of the contents of a communication system, such as a United States Postal Service mailbox, and an anti-terrorist functional.